From Speed Demons to Sufi Devotional

By

Jim Fusilli

Updated Aug. 6, 1996 12:01 a.m. ET

There's so much to hear on "Dilate" (Righteous Babe), Ani DiFranco 's outstanding new recording: her feisty, contentious voice; her unique guitar sound, the result of a snapping right hand and the interesting tunings she employs; and the occasionally raw, atmospheric backing music, more often than not made just by DiFranco, on a variety of instruments, and drummer Andy Stochansky. The sparse instrumentation demands creativity and she delivers: "Shameless" is propelled by a repeated bent note on the acoustic guitar, while "Going Down" is pushed by a relentless drum sequence and an eerie...